


A Melody of Red and Blue

by Valis



Series: Melodies of Red and Blue - Piano AU [1]
Category: Gravity Rush
Genre: AU, F/F, Fluff, Piano AU, a little lewd, but nothing explicit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-23
Updated: 2017-12-23
Packaged: 2019-02-18 19:39:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13107144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Valis/pseuds/Valis
Summary: Kat is a lounge singer, Raven her pianist. Together the two are 'Auldnoirs Greatest Secret', making their living playing in sleepy little bars and cafes all across Hekseville. Until their manager arrives with a contract to perform at the legendary Lei Havina Theatre the next city over. And with only one day to prepare, Raven has a very busy day keeping her partner in check. Not that she'd trade it for anything in the world.





	A Melody of Red and Blue

**Author's Note:**

> Man is it good to finally have this finished. I started this before Ballroom, way back in June. Writers block is no joke.  
> But I'm back, we're finished, and this is probably the story I'm most proud of so hopefully you will enjoy.
> 
> Thanks as always goes to StumblingCamelid and the rest of the crew on discord for assistance with editing and helping me make this as enjoyable and fluffy as I could make it.
> 
> Happy Holidays and hopefully I'll be back with more stories sooner rather than later this time!

**A Melody of Red and Blue**

Auldnoir was a sleepy little district deep in the heart of Hekseville. Far from the hustle and bustle of the cascading lights of Pleajeune or ever-busy downtown Vendecentre, the Old District was home to cobblestone roads, warm brick houses, and a quaint little bar tucked away in a little side street.

On a warm Thursday evening, the sun was just beginning to set, light billowing through the windows of Syd’s Place. The bar was full of people eager for a drink and a meal after work. For its the silver-haired owner, running and mixing drinks, Thursday was always busy, even though its patrons were still a day away from a long weekend.

The reason behind this popularity soon made itself known. Applause filled the room from the sea of crowded tables as two young women stepped up onto the stage. The taller of the two gave a brief wave as she crossed the stage to the piano, her face placid as her eyes scanned the pub and noted its usual occupants. She adjusted the sleeves of her dress shirt and brushed hair that turned from black to a vibrant red out of her eyes, and then took her seat at the grand instrument.

Her partner, bright with blond hair and a sparkling red dress that matched her eyes, seemed a little more apprehensive at suddenly being the center of attention—no matter how many times they had done this, the crowd’s adoration always made her bashful. She stepped up to the microphone, giving a shy smile as the attention of everyone in the room diverted to her.

Her timid posture melted away the moment the piano burst into life, the keys her partner struck buoying her chest and voice as both rose to met the melody that flowed through the bar. It drifted as a slow hypnosis that grew in rhythm and power, pulling all who listened away from their woes and tiredness in a way that only she could.

Even for the bartender and the rest of the staff, it was a struggle to not set aside their work and take in the performance as one song flowed into the next. Forty-five minutes passed in the blink of an eye as the pair closed out their act the way they always had, with their oldest song: _A Red Apple Falls_

As the last notes faded out and the song finished, the entire bar united in a round of applause—plus a few loud cheers from the more inebriated patrons—while the two took a bow, hand-in-hand in the center of the meager stage, before ducking into one of the backrooms.

By the time the pair reappeared ten minutes later, having changed back into casual clothes, the bar was much emptier. Most of the patrons had filtered out when the show finished, but the singer made a point of chatting to the few who remained while her companion made her way up to the owner behind the bar.

“Yo, Raven!” he greeted as she stepped up to the bar, a glass of iced water already waiting for her.  
“Hey, Syd. Bit busier than usual tonight,” Raven noted.  
“All thanks to you two. It was hard work keeping up with everyone’s orders for a while there.”  
“Only you would complain about having too much work to do."

Syd gave a sly grin at the remark, but before he could offer a reply, a dejected looking Kat slumped into a chair next to Raven.  
“Yo, Kat, Yunica still giving you the cold shoulder?” Syd asked, despite already knowing the answer as his grumpy bar server stomped by with a tray piled high with plates and drink glasses for cleaning.  
“I just wanted to help carry some stuff…” Kat sighed, slumping forward into her arms on the bar counter.  
“Well, she didn’t yell at you tonight. That sounds like progress.” Syd placed a glass of lemonade in front of the singer. “She’s warming up to you. Slowly.”

Kat grumbled about how long it had been, although she brightened up the moment Syd added a cocktail umbrella to her drink. He and Raven shared a smirk at how easy that was. The three then began to pass the time away, chatting as the bar gradually emptied.

Soon Raven and Kat finished their drinks, prepared to go gather their things to leave when the doors to the bar suddenly swung open. Syd turned, about to explain that they were closing for the night, but paused when he saw who had just entered. With a smile, he decided to go help Yunica with the dishes, leaving the two performers with the new arrival.

“Aki?” Kat asked, confused as to what her and Raven’s manager was doing there.  
“I’m glad I managed to catch you before you left,” the older woman said as she joined the two.  
“Must be important if you decided to come in person,” Raven remarked as she eyed the file Aki placed on the bar.  
“This was not something that could wait until tomorrow, no. Are the two of you familiar with the Lei Havina Theatre in Jirga Para Lhao?”

Raven knew full well what it was, but was unable to answer—she was too busy lunging across the counter to save Kat’s empty glass as it went flying when the singer sprung from her barstool.  
“Do I? It’s one of—if not _the_ —biggest and most famous theatres! Every singer that’s made it big has performed there!”  
“Well, I’ve spent the past couple hours on the phone with the director there and-”  
“I’ll get to sing there?!” Kat was practically buzzing with excitement at this point.  
“Perhaps.” Aki was less enthused. “The contract is perfectly fine, and the fee for one night is worth more than twenty of the little bar shows you put on here.”  
“Sounds like something you’d be eager for us to take on,” Raven mused. 

It certainly would explain why Aki decided to come down in person rather than doing business over the phone like usual. But there was still something about this job Aki hadn’t told them yet. “So when is this performance supposed to take place?”  
“Friday.”  
“Next week?”  
“No. Tomorrow.”

Raven and Kat shared a look as Aki opened the file, showing them the contract.  
“Tomorrow is pretty short notice. And Jirga’s, what, three hours away by train?” Raven pointed out. “That’s going to be a rough trip.”  
“But this could be the biggest performance of our careers!” Kat said, bouncing on her heels as she was determined not to let this opportunity go by. “I’ve wanted to sing there since I was little.”  
“Well then… ” Raven had no argument against that. “Guess we’ll figure out how to make it work.”

Aki brightened, flashing that all knowing smile that said she’d known how this would play out from the start. Still, Raven appreciated that she had offered them the choice to refuse. Meanwhile, Kat, far too enthused to notice, took the pen the manager offered her, signing her name on the contract before handing it over to Raven.

Raven made a show of reading over the paperwork, more to tease the increasingly impatient Kat than out of any distrust for Aki. Their manager had yet to steer them wrong. Besides, it was something Kat clearly wanted to do, so Raven saw no reason to hesitate further when she added her signature to the document.

“Well, it’s official.” Aki took the file back, “I’ll get this sent off and will have travel arrangements ready for you by the morning. You two get some rest. If all goes well tomorrow, you two won’t be ‘ _Auldnoir’s Greatest Secret_ ’ for much longer.”  
“Shame, I liked that moniker,” Raven said, smirking.  
“It did make us sound like superspies.” Kat nodded in agreement.  
“Me, maybe. You’d make a terrible spy. You can’t shut up.”  
“But I’d rock a catsuit.”

Aki decided to leave before getting dragged into _that_ conversation. The pair were not far behind her, quickly gathering their things and waving goodbye to Syd as they stepped out of his bar and into the evening air.

The two weaved their way through the quiet streets towards their home, Raven wheeling the travel case packed with their clothes behind them while Kat was focused almost entirely on planning what songs they should perform. After all the long nights, dreaming of one day standing under the spotlight at Lei Havina, with a well-dressed audience numbering in the hundreds applauding them, she knew just one thing: it had to be perfect.

\- - -

_Bang! Bangbangbang!_

Raven groaned as the thudding against her bedroom door continued to only get louder. She tried to bury her head deeper into her pillow to block out the noise. Sadly, it was to no avail.  
“Raven!” Kat’s voice called through the door. “Get up!”  
“No…” Raven mumbled into her pillow, not alert enough to realise that there was no way Kat heard her.

Not that it mattered. The next moment the door burst open, light streaming in and filling her room. Raven, knowing that ignoring the problem was no longer an option, pulled her head up and glared in the offending direction. Yet with how she had to blink away the sleep in her eyes as she adjusted to the morning sun, it came across more as a grumpy squint. 

Kat was not intimidated in the slightest.  
“Come on, rise and shine!” she called, somehow louder than the knocking had been. “We’ve got a busy morning!”  
“Kat… what the hell?” Raven sat up, not amused at this unusual wake up call. She reached over to her bedside cabinet and picked up her phone, having to double check that she wasn’t hallucinating the time it showed. “It’s not even six. What-”  
“Breakfast will be on the table in ten minutes!” Kat interrupted, almost excessively energetic and chirpy for the early hour.

She stepped back out of the room, swinging the door shut to give Raven some privacy back. Raven stared after her for a moment, before her gaze swung to the tall perch in the corner of the room. Standing with his feathers ruffled was her crow, Xii, looking just as disgruntled at getting woken up as she did.  
“What was that all about?” Raven asked, getting a tired chuff in response.

Xii tucked his head back under his wing, deciding to go back to sleep. Raven decided that he had the right idea and buried herself back in her covers. But just as she was starting to doze off, the door burst open again.  
“ _Get up!_ ” Kat practically yelled.  
“Caw!” Xii snapped, jumping off his perch and flapping his wings in a rage.  
“Goddamnit…” Raven muttered into her pillow as sleep seemed an impossibility now.

Eventually Raven had managed to calm down Xii, throwing a dressing gown on over her camisole as she made her way downstairs. Now she was a certainly awake. And annoyed, though not enough to deny herself the cup of coffee that was waiting for her in the kitchen.

She took a seat at the kitchen counter, Kat looking over her shoulder at the noise before turning back to the stove.  
“Hey, you timed that almost perfectly! Pancakes are almost done.”  
“Right…” Raven grumbled, staring into her coffee cup. She was still half asleep, not paying attention to any of Kat’s prattling as she bustled around the kitchen with more energy than anyone had any right to have at six in the morning.

Eventually the clink of a plate being set in front of her shook Raven out of her waking slumber. She looked up from the steaming pile of pancakes set before her into the wry smile of Kat, whose grin widened as she set a small bowl of freshly cut fruit slices besides the plate.  
“Here you go!” Kat beamed, making it incredibly difficult for Raven to stay annoyed at her.  
“Thanks.”

As Raven started tucking into breakfast, the food and coffee starting to drive away her morning daze, Kat got her own plate of pancakes and joined her. Unlike Raven’s banana and apple slices, Kat decided to top her pancakes with an almost absurd amount of syrup.

“Aki’s emailed over the train reservations already,” Kat managed to say in between mouthfuls of breakfast. “We should get to Jirga an hour before they need us at the theatre.”  
“Plenty of time to make it across town then. When do we have to be at the station?”  
“One.” Kat said. 

Raven’s fork lowered as she did the math in her head. That was seven hours away.  
“Okay then.” She looked up from her pancakes, idly nudging a banana slice across one with her fork as she did so. “…So why am I up stupid early again?”

Kat hesitated at the annoyed tone in her partner’s voice. That was a mistake. Raven flicked her fork up, sending the banana slice through the air and nailing Kat in the forehead. The blonde sat, stunned, before it plopped down into the syrup on her own pancakes.  
“Hey, was that really necessary?!”  
“Yes.” Raven stated, a wry smile on her lips at the pout on Kat’s face as she tried to figure out what to do with this banana in her syrup.

With her annoyance sated by petty vengeance, Raven finished off the rest of her pancakes. She left a couple fruit slices in the bowl to take up for Xii, hoping that would be a sufficient treat to stop him from getting too cranky at the early wake up call.

Now that she had food and coffee in her, Raven was much more alert. Alert enough to realise Kat hadn’t spoken since her retaliatory strike. She was just looking down at her pancakes, watching them cool, pensively staring into nothing.  
“… Okay, it’s not like you to be this quiet,” Raven spoke up, leaning across the counter to catch Kat’s attention. “What’s the matter?”  
“Nothing!” Kat insisted, visibly startled out of her train of thought.  
“Not hungry?”

As Raven asked, she slowly reached across and started pulling the plate of pancakes towards her. That snapped Kat out of her funk, the singer yanking the plate back and consuming the food with all the ferocity of a black hole before Raven could try to steal it again. Now that was more like the Kat that Raven was familiar with.

Still, something was clearly not right with her this morning. Although finding out what that was would have to wait, as not even a god would be able to get answers out of Kat with her attention focused on food. So Raven decided not to waste the energy, depositing her empty plate and coffee cup into the sink before taking the bowl with Xii’s treats back upstairs.

By the time she’d managed to calm down the rambunctious crow—who was still more than a little annoyed at the early morning disturbance—and appeased him with the sliced fruits, she heard the telltale footsteps of Kat making her way up the stairs.

This time the knocking on her door was at a normal volume. Raven looked over from Xii as the door clicked open and Kat poked her head around it.  
“Hey, I was hoping we could get a practice session in before we have to get ready to leave?”  
“…Is this why you woke us up early?” Raven replied, Xii bristling on his perch at the intrusion.  
“Umm.” The guilty look on Kat’s face said it all.  
“… That’s fine. Let me get dressed, and I’ll be down in a bit.”  
“Cool!” Kat grinned as she left, before almost immediately reappearing. “Proper shirt and pants, too!”

The very unimpressed look the singer got from Raven seemed to pause her for a moment. She fumbled over her words, not a normal occurrence for her, before finally figuring out what to say.  
“You don’t have to wear the tie, but… I want to do this properly,” Kat said. “Please? It’s important to me.”

Raven stared. She wanted to protest against the absurdity of having to wear formal clothes in her own home, but the earnest, pleading look in Kat’s eyes was too much to fight against.  
“Sure,” she said. “But you owe me one.”  
“Thanks, you’re the best!”  
“You better remember that.”

Kat beamed, as radiant as Raven had ever seen her, before leaving to head to her own room. Raven heard her footsteps go, before her own attention was caught by the sound of tapping of Xii’s talons. The crow had finished his treats and was looking up at her.  
“I’m not a pushover,” Raven insisted.

Xii didn’t look convinced, giving an almost amused chuff in response. Raven sighed, knowing there was no way she was going to win an argument with a crow, so it was best not to try as she moved over to her wardrobe and started to change.

\- - -

Despite their early day, practice went well, Raven’s limber fingers awakening as they glided over the keys as Kat’s voice stirred the fresh morning air around them. The pianist lost herself in her partner’s singing, eyes closed as the two flowed over their streaming melodies. Yet as time passed, eventually the sound of the music attracted the attention of a certain someone who just loved to get in the way.

Halfway through another rendition of ‘ _A Red Apple Falls_ ,’ the graceful tune was rudely interrupted by a cacophony of mangled chords. Raven jolted, pausing as she opened her eyes to stare at the pesky black cat who had just jumped up onto the keys.

“Dusty,” she greeted as he walked across the keyboard, leaving a trail of noise in his wake, to rub his head against one of her hands. “We’re a little busy here, you know?”  
“Mrow.”

Unable to argue against such logic, Raven gave him a quick scratch behind the ears. His purrs almost drowned out the plinking of piano keys as he stepped around her arm and looked about ready to hop into her lap, a place he had curled up during many a practice session. Unfortunately for him, Kat had other plans, scooping him up mid-jump.

“Dusty, no distracting Raven today!” She hugged him to her chest, her scolding slightly ruined by the smile and the petting he was receiving. “We’ve got a very important performance coming up, so we need to practice, okay?”  
“Meow,” he insisted, nuzzling into her arms.  
“I know, I know… We’ll give you all the attention you want when we’re done.”

Raven sat back, watching with a smile as Kat carried her shadowy feline away from the piano, across the living room and deposited him on the other side of the hallway door. Dusty gave one last attempt at convincing her to let him stay, his eyes shining like the night sky as he begged. It almost worked, but Kat managed to steel herself and, with one last apology to him, closed the glass door.

“Sorry about that.” Kat stepped back up to the piano, brushing black fur off her red dress.  
“No problem. Besides, that wasn’t nearly as bad as the time Xii tried to join in with your singing.”  
“Hey, he could hit those high notes! Could work on harmonizing, though…” Kat couldn’t help but giggle at that memory.  
“Don’t encourage him. Please.” Raven tried to sound serious but even she couldn’t resist a smirk.  
“Crows aren’t exactly songbirds, I guess.”  
“I’m glad you said crows, or I might have been insulted.”  
“Oh, no. Your singing’s great!”  
“Well that’s good-” Raven paused, puzzled. “But you’ve never heard me sing before…”

Kat gave a knowing grin as she walked up to the piano seat, Raven scooching over to make room for her to sit down.  
“You remember the Vendecentre Music Festival from a couple months back?” Kat asked.  
Raven grimaced. “Don’t remind me. Eight shows, eight days, and my two swollen hands.” It had taken weeks before her fingers stopped aching.  
“I was nearly hoarse by the end of it,” Kat agreed. “But it was fun though, wasn’t it?”  
“I guess so. Watching you impress a full theatre every night was pretty special.”  
“That’s not what I meant and you know it!” Kat playfully elbowed Raven, getting a hair tussle in retaliation. This, of course, meant war.

The conversation broke down into the two playfighting for a few minutes, finally ending with Raven claiming victory after managing to steal the golden bands holding Kat’s ponytail in place, freeing her blond hair to cascade down her back.

“Okay, now explain what the music festival has to do with you knowing how I sing,” Raven smirked as she handed Kat her hairbands back.  
“You remember the hotel we stayed in? We got neighboring rooms,” Kat said with a slight huff, turning away from Raven as she gathered up her hair.  
“So?” Raven cocked an eyebrow, quietly helping Kat fix her ponytail.  
“The soundproofing wasn’t great, and the walls were pretty thin. So, every morning when I got up outta bed, I could hear you singing ‘ _Red Apple_ ’ in the shower.”

No response, which Kat found odd, but cast aside as she continued to fix her hair. Once the task was done, she spun around, only to find Raven staring at her. It was a four-way tie between Kat’s dress, her eyes, Raven’s hair, or her cheeks as to which was colored the deepest red. After a few moments of painful, awkward silence to process this, Raven held her head in her hands, wishing nothing more than for the ground to open up and swallow her whole.  
“I can’t believe you heard that…” she mumbled.  
“H-hey, seriously, it was fine!” Kat insisted, trying to figure out how to salvage her partner’s pride. “-I mean there wasn’t much power, and you went a little off-key on the bridge-” Kat stopped herself, realizing that this wasn’t helping, “but you have have a really beautiful voice! You might even have more range than me!”  
Kat grasped a hesitant hand on Raven’s shoulder, squeezing as she concluded, “With a little practice, I bet you’d make a great singer!”

While Kat’s efforts were not entirely effective, her earnestness did manage to break through Raven’s embarrassment. She raised her gaze, blue eyes meeting Kat’s red as the singer gently pulled her hands away from her face.  
“Not often I get to see you this embarrassed,” Kat noted, running her thumbs over the back of Raven’s hands.  
“Not often I get my singing critiqued by Auldnoir’s greatest.”  
“Well… if it makes you feel any better, my piano playing doesn’t hold a candle to yours.”

Kat turned to demonstrate, filling the room with a clumsy assortment of notes and chords—or what best resembled them—following no progression and without resolution. After a few moments, and somewhat determined to at least show she was making a real effort, Kat simplified her playing. In the mess of dissonant melodies and random sharps, there were faint passages which Raven recognized as parts of a very familiar melody.

Raven sat still for a moment as an idea came to her. Then, she quietly removed herself from the stool as Kat had quickly become enraptured with the piano, seemingly forgetting her original plan. Making not a sound, Raven stepped around behind her partner. 

The blonde’s playing almost came to a screeching halt as Raven leaned into her back, reaching around to place her hands over Kat’s own. Kat looked back, ready to ask what it was the pianist was doing, but stopped as Raven’s lips brushed against her ears. It only took a few whispers of encouragement before she let Raven guide her fingers, gliding over the chords and melodies that they both knew so well.

It was slower, a few notes hung on just one beat longer, and certain parts were a bit staccato—yet, despite the mistakes, the song was unmistakably ‘ _A Red Apple Falls._ ’ Raven smiled to herself as she felt Kat’s nerves float away, the two drifting along with the music that filled the room.  
“Doesn’t hold a candle to mine, huh?” Raven mused as she stepped back, Kat finishing the last of the song on her own before looking back, eyes wide with amazement at what had just happened.  
“How did-?”  
“You already know how to follow a tune, and you have the dexterity for playing. You just have to memorise the keys,” Raven stated with all the confidence in the world. “Just takes a little practice. I could teach you, if you wanted.”

Kat’s cheeks went red at that, her mind projecting so many images of her spending more time with Raven: of the pianist’s firm, nimble fingers wrapped in hers, of Raven softly guiding her hands along the keys. It was sorely tempting to lose herself in the fantasy, but she shook it away, climbing to her feet and brushing her dress back into place.  
“S-speaking of practice, we should probably get back to it,” she said, the same seriousness she’d had all morning coming back full force.  
“Kat, we’ve been going nearly three hours-”  
“It’s _The_ Lei Havina Theatre!” Kat cut her off. “We only get one shot. We have to be perfect…”

Raven stepped forward, her fingers running down Kat’s arms until their hands met. She gave Kat’s hands a gentle squeeze, feeling the tension in the singer starting to drain at her touch.  
“Kat,” she said, low enough to almost be a whisper. “We’ve practiced this time and time again. You’re already perfect, okay? And if those rich theatre assholes don’t see that, then they don’t deserve to hear you sing.”  
“Raven…”  
“All this extra practice is doing is making you even more nervous. You’re going to hurt your voice before you get on stage if you don’t take a break.”

Despite the sound logic, Kat still didn’t seem convinced. Frustrated yet admiring the singer’s devotion, Raven gently pulled her in close.  
“It’ll be fine. I promise. I’ll be right there with you,” she said in a calm, reassuring voice. Raven held Kat close to her chest, softly running a hand through her hair.  
“I can’t just stop worrying about it…”  
“Then let me help with that too.”

Raven reached up to brush some stray blond locks out of Kat’s eyes, smiling before placing a light kiss on her forehead. She felt Kat tense in surprise for a moment, her breath hitching. A second kiss brushed the tip of Kat’s nose before she pulled back, their eyes meeting in quiet understanding for the briefest of moments as the tension melted away. With shared, heavy breaths, they both pressed forward and captured each other’s lips, hands slowly roaming through their hair and across their bodies.

For over a minute they stayed there, lost in each other’s presence and warmth. Eventually, the need for air became too great, and they were forced to break the spell. Blue eyes stared lovingly into red, their cheeks flushed as they caught their breath. Kat lowered her leg from where it had wrapped around Raven during their kisses.  
“Feel better?” Raven asked, despite already knowing the answer from the bright smile on her partner’s face.  
“A little,” Kat said, tongue poking out as she slyly started undoing the buttons on Raven’s shirt.  
“Only a little? Can’t have that, can we?”

In one swift motion, Kat’s ponytail spilled apart, this time without any complaints as the two met again. Their touches grew more passionate with every passing second as they held each other tight. Kat tried to undo Raven’s belt with one hand as the other pulled her in for another kiss, while Raven’s arms slipped around behind her and lifted her into the air.

There was a mess of jumbled chords as Raven deposited Kat on top of the piano, but the two paid no mind to it. It was closer than the sofa, and there was no chance they would make it to the bedroom. Raven trailed light kisses down Kat’s neck and chest, feeling the singer’s warmth, hearing the small gasps in between the rise and fall of her breathing.

Suddenly, the last of Raven’s shirt buttons were torn open—Kat had grown very, very impatient. Raven caught her wrists before her bra could suffer the same fate, kissing Kat’s fingers as she stepped in between the singer’s legs.

“This isn’t the dress you plan on wearing tonight, is it?” she asked, trailing her hands up the outside of Kat’s legs, slowly pulling the dress up and out of the way.  
“No,” Kat managed to answer, rocking her hips as Raven’s hands met them, sliding inwards.  
“Good. Because I’m about to ruin it.”

\- - -

With a now satisfied Kat, the rest of the morning’s proceedings went much smoother. After hitting the showers, the two spent the rest of their time relaxing, watching junk TV and giving Dusty the attention he’d been craving earlier.

Even Xii had decided to surface, although he was still giving Kat a wide berth. It would take a while before he would forgive the early morning wake up call. Raven certainly didn’t mind—she found the situation as adorable as it was amusing, watching Kat pout as he pointedly avoided her trying to pet him, promptly scooting away whenever her hand dared tried to stroke his black feathers. 

Unfortunately, before Kat could make any real progress on rebuilding that bridge, it was time to leave. Raven followed behind her partner, holding her hand, or just being close in order to help her nerves from coming back as they packed their performance clothes into their suitcase. A few frantic moments later, and they were out the front door.

They made it halfway down the street before Raven asked if they had the booking details to pick up their train tickets. The silence was all the answer she needed, resulting in a mad dash back to retrieve the piece of paper. Her reappearance royally confusing the two animals as she darted back into the apartment. Somehow she made it back out the door without one of them escaping, eventually rushing back to collect her breath in front of a very embarrassed Kat.

“Sorry, I got so caught up in everything I must have forgot.”  
“Don’t worry about it,” Raven said, with another comforting squeeze of her hand managing to get a soft smile out of Kat. “We’re not running late.”  
“Yeah, but what if we forgot something else-”  
“Let’s see… We left food and water out for Dusty and Xii, you have money for the taxi when we get to Jirga, I have my phone charged if we need it for an emergency…”  
“House keys?”

The keys in question got tossed to the singer, prompting an awkward juggling act to hold onto them.  
“I’m not the one with the habit of leaving them in the door,” Raven smirked.  
“Hey, I’ve only done that once!”

Raven decided it was best not to mention that it was only because she’d caught every other time it had happened. Catching their train was, perhaps, a bit more important than a late morning argument on the sidewalk.

Auldnoir was bustling with the lunchtime rush, leaving the pair to weave their way through the centre of the old district to make it to the station. It was not the easiest of goings: Raven took great pains to maneuver their suitcase through the crowds without running over the feet of any fellow commuters—this was doomed to fail. Kat, meanwhile, was thankfully distracted from her worries as they passed by an assortment of busy cafes and market stalls, their sweet aromas of bread, bacon, cheese, and coffee almost lifting her by the nose through the air.

While the original plan had been to get lunch on the train, that went out the window when they passed a store with a window full of cakes and eclairs. Kat stopped in front of the display, looking at Raven pleadingly. It was, of course, an unnecessary gesture—even if Raven had been able to resist the temptation of the baked treats, there was no way she could ever withstand Kat’s soft red eyes when they were turned on her like that.

So, when Raven inevitably gave in with a nod, she was rewarded with Kat’s brilliant smile. Raven couldn’t help but mirror it when, with a light skip, Kat went inside. It was the singer’s joy, the way she was so easily excited over even the simplest things in life, that always pulled Raven along wherever the pair went.

This was the Kat that made every day feel much easier, this was the Kat that Raven enjoyed performing with. The very same Kat that she couldn’t help but fall for, again and again, early morning wake-ups and all. The only person who she would ever wait for, even as their train awaited them, all for a simple dessert.

What few transgressions her adorable alarm clock had made were instantly forgiven when Kat returned, offering the pianist a creamy chocolate eclair for the wait. The two set back off through the district, which soon thinned out while they passed by the market area. It was tricky for Raven to eat her eclair one handed while pulling the suitcase with the other, but she managed.  
“These ‘er so good,” Kat said between—and around—mouthfuls of her own treat.  
“Yup.”

Kat kept pace alongside Raven, back to her bouncy self. She was the first to finish her eclair and licked the last traces of icing off of her fingers. While Raven was preoccupied finishing her own, she didn’t notice the mischievous glance that crossed the blonde’s face. But she definitely noticed when Kat leaned in and planted a kiss on her cheek.

When Kat pulled back, the two met each other’s gaze. Kat looked all too pleased with herself, wearing an almost cheshire grin at the confused look Raven gave her, with a slink hint of red just beneath her cheeks.  
“You missed a spot,” came Kat’s answer to the unasked question.  
“… Most people use napkins for that.”  
“Yeah, well, my way tastes better,” Kat said, reaching up and brushing a finger across Raven’s cheek to collect the last of the stray icing. “Much better.”

The blush on Raven’s face was no longer faint as Kat licked her finger clean, maintaining eye contact the entire time. She giggled at how Raven had been struck dumb before heading off down the path with a little extra sway in her step, well aware of where her partner’s eyes were drawn by the movement.

Kat glanced back, pulling the still stunned Raven’s gaze back up.  
“You coming?” she asked, the amused look on her face only growing. “We’re gonna be late if you stand around much longer!”  
“Yeah, yeah…”

Raven rolled her eyes as she hurried to catch up, the wheels on the suitcase she pulled along clipping against the pavement tiles as the two picked up the pace to make up for lost time. They approached the station with a hurried rhythm to their steps, a bit impatient for the three hour train ride that awaited for them. Raven could only hope that Kat’s teasing mood would not last, or she might not survive the trip to Jirga Para Lhao.

The train station was still fairly busy, despite the morning commute being long over, so any further needling was put on hold as the pair picked up their tickets and weaved their way around the platforms. They had timed their arrival almost perfectly, leaving only a few minutes of nervous waiting before the train pulled in and they could board.

Kat claimed the window seat as they took a booth in a half-empty car. Raven dropped down beside her, sliding their suitcase under the table.  
“Looks like we’ll get there with plenty of time to spare,” she noted, glancing at the time on her phone.

Kat was slow to respond, preferring to eye the platform and passerbys outside as one of her hands trailed along the sash of the window. Raven could see the tension filling her partner’s eyes, so she ran her hand down Kat’s arm before slipping it into her own and pulling her back out of her thoughts.  
“Still nervous?”  
“… A little,” Kat admitted, idly squeezing Raven’s hand as she met the pianist’s eyes. “I don’t get how you aren’t.”

Raven hummed at that, sitting back in her chair as she mused over how she could put her thoughts into words. Kat, while clearly as curious and impatient as ever, had learned long ago to not rush her.  
“I just… don’t really see what there is to worry about.”  
“What?! It’s the Lei Havina Theatre. If we blow our shot there, it’s a huge deal!”  
“… Not to me. Whether our career takes off or stays the same, doesn’t change anything. As far as I’m concerned, as long as I can play piano for you, I don’t really care how big the stage is. Syd’s bar, some theatre, a royal palace, it makes no difference to me. As long as you’re there, I’m happy.”

Kat was silent for a moment, narrowed eyes taking in Raven’s words before she passed judgement on them. “… You’re weird.”  
“So I’ve been told.” Raven wasn’t offended, and she saw the smile on Kat’s face as she tried to hide it by turning back out the window.  
“… Thanks, Raven. I think I’ll be fine now.”  
“I hope so. I think it’d be harder to have a repeat of this morning in the middle of a train car.”

Raven had to lean away from a playful swipe from the now-blushing singer. Thankfully, before a full fledged playfight could break out to earn any odd looks from other passengers, a distraction rang out from Raven’s pocket. Both of them shared confused glances as Raven fished out her phone.  
“Is that your brother?” Kat asked, recognizing the ringtone.  
“Yeah. What’s he calling for?” Calling out of nowhere wasn’t his style. Still, there was only one way to find out, and so she accepted the call. 

“Hello? Zaza?”  
“Hey Rae!” came the chipper voice of her older brother, loud enough that Raven had to move the phone’s speaker away from her ear for a moment. “Not interrupting something am I? How are you?”  
“I’m fine, and, no, you’re not interrupting anything.”  
“Neat! Kat okay?”

Rather than answer, Raven held the phone out to Kat.  
“Hey Zaza!” she called into it, waving into the microphone despite him not being able to see her.  
“Afternoon, Kat. Sis treating you okay?”  
“Okay that’s enough out of you,” Raven pulled her phone back, knowing the teasing tone sneaking into her brother’s voice, desperate to kill that line of conversation before he could start meddling.

“Man, you’re no fun, Rae, no fun at all. When are you going to propose to her, anyway?”  
Raven groaned, trying to ignore the raised eyebrows Kat wore. “What’s all this about? Surely you didn’t call just to be annoying.”  
“Well, a little birdie told me you two got a big show coming up tonight. And, frankly, I’m insulted you didn’t tell me. You two’re hitting the big stage, and your dearest and only brother doesn’t get to know about it?”  
“We only found out last night,” Raven said, somewhat defensive at the tone in his voice. “And it’s been a busy morning.”

Kat flushed under the pointed look Raven shot her way . Although a quick squeeze of her hand assured her that it was only a tease.  
“Uh huh.” Zaza seemed hardly impressed with Raven’s excuse. A pregnant pause hung on the line, Raven eyeing the speaker cautiously before a chuckle on the other end ripped away his mask. “Hey, hey, it’s fine! Really! I just wanted to wish my little sister good luck.”  
“Your _little_ sister is still taller than you… But thanks. We both appreciate it.”

Raven realised there was another puzzle piece she had to find before she let him off the hook.  
“How exactly did you know about the show in Lei Havina, anyway?”  
“An old school friend of mine told me about it. You remember Eugie, yeah? Works part-time there when he’s not helping out his old man. He spotted your name on the list of acts for tonight, and got curious enough to phone me about it,” he said, pausing for the briefest of moments. “You taking the train there? I can hear it in the background.”  
“Yup, just left the station. Three hours till Jirga.”  
“Well, try not to get too bored.”  
“I’m sure I’ll manage,” she couldn’t help but smile towards Kat. “How’s Grandpa’s flower store going?”  
“Just fine. Business is doing pretty well at the moment. Could always be better though.” That teasing tone started to slip back into his voice. “A big order for a ceremony of some kind would be great. We usually do our best business with weddings, y’know-”

“Bye.” Before Zaza could continue his spree of terror, Raven ended the call. He meant well, she knew, and his teasing was purely affectionate, but that did not mean she had to put up with it. If she did not draw the line somewhere, he would never let her get any real peace and quiet.

Kat, having been unable to hear half of the conversation, was very badly pretending to not be curious about it. Her terrible attempt at feigning a lack of attention was perfect cure for the pianist’s annoyance. For what was the umpteenth time, Raven wondered just how someone so adorable could be with her, but that was a question she doubted she would ever figure out the answer to.

So while she settled on informing Kat just how Zaza had come to learn about the show, she was very strident in letting Kat know that she absolutely did not want to know about the rest of the garbage that came out of her brother’s mouth. Any disappointment on the singer’s face at such secrets were temporary, lasting until Raven pulled out her suitcase, cracking it open and showing off a bag of sweets she had stashed inside. With a sweet glint in their eyes, the two of them shared the treats as they settled down, chatting away the time as they steeled themselves for the long trip.

When the train arrived at Jirga Para Lhao, Raven found herself breathing a sigh of relief that it was finally over. Three hours was a long time for anyone to sit still, as candy, card games, and conversations—especially from the endless stream of words that poured out of her partner’s mouth when she wasn’t chewing or simmering at losing a match—were just enough to tide her own hidden anxiousness over.

Still, while Raven was eager to be moving again, it paled in comparison to Kat. The singer had practically climbed over her as the train started to slow, a wracked tension uncoiling and causing to her practically bounce on her heels as they pulled into the station. As they departed, Kat was bounding through the doors the moment they opened.

Raven had to hurry to catch up, giving an apologetic smile to the bewildered and bemused passengers that just clipped by as she ran behind. Thankfully Kat hadn’t ran off too far ahead, catching herself at the end of the platform overlooking the rest of the station to marvel at the difference in size and scope from their own modest departure back at Auldnoir.

Raven could hardly blame her: the large, domed roof that covered the station was an enclosure the likes the two had never seen back home, shimmering clear and blue under the afternoon sun, and its seven platforms that brimmed with people marching to and fro were large enough that their house could have fit inside several times over. Auldnoir’s station, in comparison, felt as if it were nothing more than a child’s playhouse.

Kat snapped out of her awestruck daze when Raven caught up and nudged her shoulder, a silent reminder that there was little time to sightsee, no matter how much it was obvious Kat wanted to.

Yet this hardly dampened Kat’s near-endless curiosity. She was almost glued to the window of the taxi as the two traveled through the bustling city, as they passed through streets that felt both very similar to Hekseville in its store and buildings, but very different in its density and bright colors that streamed about wherever they turned. More than once Raven had to deal with Kat climbing across her lap whenever she spotted something interesting on her side of the taxi.

She couldn’t complain. Compared to the nervous fidgets Raven had to calm earlier in the morning, the return of Kat’s gleeful enthusiasm was a welcome breath of fresh air. She’d gladly take an accidental elbow or two from being clambered over if she got to see that smile again.

Still, it was impossible to stop some of those familiar nerves from creeping back in when they left the busy market districts and towering skyscrapers behind for the grand green spaces that Lei Havina was known for. The singer had stilled, her voice quiet and movements tight as she sat back, staring out the window at the people strolling about. A slight hitch to her breath and rigid collapse of her fingers into a pair of fists rested upon her, yet soon they passed when Raven reached over, palm collapsing atop one of her hands. It was slight, but more than enough to calm Kat down, nerves abating once more as the grand theatre came into view.

The enormous round building, with its unique mix of wood and stonework, was somehow the most mesmerising thing amidst all the green fields, colourful flower gardens or artisan fountains that surrounded it on all sides, presenting a refined and distinctly wealthy aura with its wooden shine and limestone etchings. Kat seemed transfixed the moment she saw it, not saying a word as Raven took care of the taxi fare before they made their way through the gates and into the entranceway.

The lobby was enough to make even Raven pause. A red carpet led towards the receptionist’s desk, flanked by towering columns that seemed to go on forever, with the walls filled with paintings of Jirga Para Lhao’s landscape, all lit by the warm light of a shining chandelier.  
“They like to show off,” the pianist mused. “Guess it kinda does make Syd’s bar look like a dump.”

The comment drew a small giggle from her partner, breaking the spell the theatre had held over them.  
“That’s mean.” She nudged Raven with a mock frown. “And I like Syd’s bar, it’s cozy.”  
“It’d be a pretty terrible bar if it wasn’t,” Raven said. “Though I don’t know how you find it cozy when half the time you’re getting yelled at by Yunica.”  
“Oh, that’s low.” Kat pouted at the reminder of the grumpy server who, without fail, always rebuffed her attempt at a friendship.  
“Is it?” Raven teased.

Thankfully, before their nonsense could erupt further in the lobby before the receptionist, the familiar face of their manager stepped out of a corridor and started marching their way. She had swapped her usual shawl for a sleek, lavender column dress, with a golden necklace finishing into a rose just above on her chest. Raven glanced down at her white dress shirt and black pants, suddenly feeling very underdressed.  
“Oh, good, you two made it,” Aki said, a warm smile on her face before she snapped back into business mode. “Any problems?”  
“We’re fine.” Kat smiled. “Hello to you, too.”

As they continued their greetings, discussing the trip from Hekseville, Aki led the pair past the reception desk. The receptionist and security didn’t seem to blink an eye as they followed their manager into the corridor leading to the backstage area, deep into a hive of activity, with the staff bustling to get preparations completed while other groups of performers waited. Many failed to hide their boredom entwined with a nervous impatience, while others passed the time talking with their managers. Raven immediately spotted a table over in the corner of the room, loaded with food and treats, but the pointed look Aki was giving meant that she couldn’t indulge.

Yet, anyway.

“You two are on second,” Aki explained now she had gotten the pair’s attention again. “Still one of the warm up acts but—since the act you’re replacing wasn’t a fresh face around here—you’ve got a bit more time to perform than you would have otherwise.”  
“How long?” Kat asked, arms folded across her chest and looking more focused than she had all morning now that it was time for work.  
“Ten minutes.”  
“So three songs…” Kat mused, as she glanced across to Raven for her input.

Raven idly tapped her heel on the wooden floor as she thought over their songs, before coming to a conclusion. “ _Gravity Days_ is a good warm up song. It usually works for a crowd that hasn’t heard us before.”  
“Yes!” Kat beamed. “And that’ll lead nicely into _Candlelit Journey_.”  
“Do I even need to ask what the finale is going to be?” Aki said, the smiles on the performer’s faces all the answer she needed. “So ' _A Red Apple Falls_ ' it is. Now I need to go and let the stage manager know what’s going on, but we should have just enough time for you two to check out the stage.”

If Kat was beaming before, she was practically radiating light now, and for the first time since their arrival, Raven seemed to share it. So they left their suitcase to one of the assistants and trailed Aki one more time, Kat bouncing with every step towards the stage she’d been dreaming about for years while Raven continued to take in the assortment of acts that bused around them. It wasn’t the most professional of looks, earning a disgruntled stare in Kat’s direction as they passed by a stagehand. The man was seemed ready to cut the blonde down before Raven’s traveling eyes spotted and met his own, and with a firm glare cowed him into silence.

By the time Raven caught up, Kat was standing at the edge of the thick curtain that led up onto the stage. Aki was off talking to someone with a clipboard, presumably the stage manager, so the two of them were alone for the moment. Raven slipped her hand into Kat’s and gave it a comforting squeeze.

“You ready?” she asked, meeting Kat’s warm red eyes for a moment before she closed them, took a few deep breaths and nodded. The two passed the last barrier and stepped out onto the grandest stage of their career, with a pair of gasps stealing their breath as they saw the theatre in all its glory.

The stage was as large as the two had expected, being home to some of the biggest plays and operas around, but nothing could have prepared either of them for the sight of seemingly unending rows that cascaded before them, housing thousands of seats that faced their very direction. With the lights still on while stagehands made their final preparations for the show, Raven could see every one of the hundreds of seats on the floor and hundreds more on the upper balconies.

“Lei Havina’s famous for always having a full house,” Kat said, barely louder than a whisper, as she, too, marveled over the sheer number of seats. “That’s a lot of people to hear me sing.”  
“Well, then I’m really glad I stopped you from throwing your voice out this morning. Even you’re gonna need everything you have just to be heard at the back.”  
Kat pouted at joke. “Just ‘cause the building’s old doesn’t mean they don’t have microphones!”  
“That’s a relief,” Raven said, failing to hold back her smile.

Deciding to ignore her partner’s teasing, Kat stepped out into the middle of the stage with Raven quietly following behind while the singer tried to take it all in.  
“I just can’t believe we’re actually here. Even when Aki told us about it yesterday, it still felt like I was dreaming. Everything here’s is ju- _eep!"_ No one seemed to notice as her voice suddenly jumped an octave from a sudden pinch on her rear.  
“No, I think it’s definitely real.” Raven smirked, sliding her hand back into her pocket.  
“Raven, behave!” Kat said in a loud whisper. That more than warranted a raised eyebrow as Raven stared back at the singer, hardly expecting those words to come from her of all people. “Hey, look, the piano’s over there. Go see what you’ll be working with before you get us both into trouble!”

“Okay, okay,” Raven conceded. She also had to admit that having a chance to settle into the instrument now was a good idea. As she stepped past Kat towards the tool of her trade, she gave a sudden jump from a light slap across her own backside. She stopped in mid-stride, shooting an accusing glance back at her partner, who was pointedly looking away with pursed lips. Yet she failed to hide the smile on her face, which Raven could see, clear as day.

She shook her head silently at Kat’s hypocrisy, although it was more for the sake of a performance than any actual annoyance, considering the grin she struggled to contain. It was obvious that whatever nerves Kat held had left her with that smack—well, smacks—and it brought a cool comfort to Raven’s chest knowing that the two of them were going to be just fine.

\- - -

The changing rooms were just close enough to the theatre hall that Raven could hear the sounds of people filing into their seats as she made her way down the hallway, adjusting the cuffs of her suit one last time. The conversations and shuffling of feet as people were ushered to their seats grew distant as she approached her target.

She stood before the door of Kat’s dressing room for a moment, listening to Kat’s voice floating through as the singer ran through her warm ups. The sound of Kat’s singing was a familiar comfort, assuaging Raven’s own anxiousness to begin their performance. But, as much as she wanted to, there was little time to be spent listening to her partner’s voice, and so she knocked. 

The singing stopped. Quiet footsteps approached. The door opened inwards, and, for a moment, Raven forgot to breathe.

Kat had pulled out a dress that Raven had only ever seen once before: the night of their first performance together. It was as mesmerising now as it was then, with black flowing down past her knees with patterns of gold weaving as spirals up and down the piece, causing every movement, every gesture to shine. Around her neck hung a golden pendant in the shape of the sun, nestled just above her collarbone, shimmering in the light and slowly rising and falling with each breath she took.

Raven struggled to find the words to react but, fortunately, she didn’t have to. Kat gave an annoyed look before silently pulling Raven inside, taking the red cloth she had been holding and starting to thread it around her neck.  
“It’s been how long now? How do you not know how to do a tie?” she grumbled, although Raven caught the smile she was trying so hard to hide.  
“I know how. You’re just better at it.”

This was, in fact, not entirely true; but Raven was not going to give up an excuse to have Kat so close to her. Watching the singer as she threaded the knot of Raven’s tie, her head tilted and her tongue poking out in concentration—it was a ritual that Raven always took comfort in, and, loathe though she may have been to admit it, Kat found solace in the act, too, helping steady and distract their nerves with the presence of each other.

Soon, Kat complete her task with the tie, but before she could step back to admire her handiwork, Raven leaned in and stole a light kiss.

That was not part of their usual ritual. Yet, from the hint of a smile and red that tinged on Kat’s face as Raven pulled back, it seemed that the singer didn’t mind the little surprise. Raven had to resist the temptation to go back for a second kiss, knowing she would not find it so easy to pull back again, and so instead gently brushed a stray lock of Kat’s hair back behind her ear.  
“Still nervous?” she asked.  
“… A little,” Kat admitted. “But I’ll be fine. You’ll be with me.”  
“As always.”

As Kat stared at her, Raven hesitated, fingers fidgeting over each other. Then, let loose a sharp breath from her chest, a hand went to the inside pocket of her suit jacket, and a moment later she produced a silver chain. Hanging from it was a shining half-moon pendant, the twin of the golden sun around Kat’s neck. Raven held it up to the light, letting it sparkle, before holding it out to Kat.

“Whoa… I can’t believe you brought this,” Kat said, amazed, as she unwrapped the chain from around Raven’s fingers and held the pendant in her palm. The jewelry felt surprisingly warm to the touch.  
“I always have it. You gave it to me, after all.”  
“Oh yeah… As a good luck charm, I remember. It was just after you moved in…”

Kat stared at the pendant, transfixed for a moment. Raven could see her thinking, her red eyes gleaming as an idea came to her. Kat let the pendant drop out of her palm, watching the moon hanging from its chain again, before she raised it and gave it a quick kiss.

She looked up, smiling wide as she dropped the pendant back into Raven’s waiting hand, closing the pianist’s fingers over the charm.  
“There! Now it’s doubly lucky for tonight,” she said, with nary a trace of her earlier nervousness.

Raven considered pointing out that she was almost certain that was not how it worked, but an impatient knocking on the dressing room door stopped them in their tracks.  
“Come on, you two, you’re on stage in five!” Aki’s voice came through the door.  
“Coming!” Kat called back.

The singer gave one last glance into the dressing room mirror, making final adjustments to her dress. Raven clutched the moon pendant tight to her chest, not even caring that Kat could see her in the reflection. She tucked it back into its pocket as Kat turned to her, the two sharing a smile as they headed over to the door.

“Well… it’s showtime,” Raven said as she rested her hand on the door handle. “Ready to knock them dead?”  
“I hope we don’t. I don’t think we get paid if we kill the audience,” Kat replied.

Raven gave a theatrical roll of her eyes, hiding her smirk as she pulled open the door. The two stepped through, meeting their manager and a stagehand before making their way through the theatre, towards the performance that lay beyond.

\- - -

Back by the curtains leading to the stage—now swarming with activity as the backstage crew ran around trying to keep everything running smoothly—Aki gave the pair one last pep talk before leaving them to the stage manager as they waited for their cue.

Kat looked as focused as Raven had ever seen her, lips tight and eyes forward as she waited and listened to the end of the song from the night’s first performer. The pianist, meanwhile, made sure her hair was tied back properly as the chords resolved, the final notes fading out to be answered by the sound of polite applause that echoed around them.

The stage manager looked their way. Showtime. No chance to back out any more. The pair stepped by and, briefly, met the other performer—a violinist looking young enough to be fresh out of school—on her way back. Kat gave a smile and thumbs up as she passed, and Raven a nod, before they reached the end of the curtain, with the threshold between backstage and the crowd awaiting them.

“Right behind you,” Raven whispered, lightly placing her hand on her partner’s back for a moment before they stepped onto the stage, stage lights revealing them and drawing all eyes onto the pair. There was a moment of discomfort as hundreds upon hundreds of suits and dresses locked onto them, with an endless assortment of indifferent gazes, curious glances, and judging stares, but they both pushed through it. Kat stepped to the center of the stage, where a microphone stand awaited, while Raven moved to the piano off to the side. The distance between them was heightened from their usual jaunts at bars and modest venues, yet this impression lasted for only a moment as they readied themselves at their positions.

The rest of the stage dimmed, leaving just the two of them in the spotlights. Kat shuddered out a low breath, standing firm and tall in the place she had always dreamed of, ready to bare her soul to the biggest crowd she had ever seen. And Raven sat behind her at the piano, determined not to let her or her dream down.

The two knew each other well enough that Kat did not even need to look back to know when Raven was ready, and Raven did not need to look up to know Kat was, too. Like they had practiced during the morning, like they had played in Syd’s bar the night before, Raven’s fingers flew across the keys as the opening bars of _Gravity Days_ flowed through the air, the melody and bass soon married by Kat’s singing as their harmonies lit up the whole theatre.

The song sounded better than it ever had before, and, as the rhythm quickened to the chorus, soon the pair were lost in it as they performed, with Raven’s piano guiding Kat’s voice, leaving the singer to punctuate every ascending note, every line that grew higher as the chords flowed into one another. It was a moment of magic between the two, between only them, and were it not for the sight that Kat’s crimson eyes took it, the seated crowd before them may well not have even existed.

Then, the song ended. Their moment faded, and with the final reverb of Raven’s piano, reality came rushing back. The last notes faded and silence filled the theatre. Raven glanced up from the piano, towards Kat. She might not have been able to see the singer’s face but she could see the way she had suddenly tensed, the slight quiver of a heel as she felt hundreds of eyes descending on her, with judging murmurs breaking the sudden, oppressive silence.

It was a far cry from Syd’s bar, or any other performance they had done in Hekseville, where their listeners had always applauded, eager to show their appreciation after every song. Not in the Havina Theatre, home to Jirga Para Lhao’s rich and famous. The hush had thrown Kat for a loop, unseating her confidence.

The streaks of whispers and rustling of seats flared an anger deep inside Raven’s chest. Instead of her fingers flowing right into the keys of the next song, they reached up behind her head and took a hold of her hair band, tearing it free and letting her black and red hair spill out of the ponytail, wild and free over her bench. She could feel the crowd’s attention starting to switch to her, but Kat stayed looking forwards, trusting her as she always had.

Under the spotlight, and with the utmost confidence in all the time she had spent playing with her partner, Raven knew it was fine if she did something a little unexpected. This was not the time for the soft, flowing _Candlelit Journey_ as they had planned earlier. Now, her fingers found the sharp, staccatoed notes that announced the arrival of _Night Gale_ , silencing the judging whispers immediately.

She blew a lock of wild hair free from her eyes and spared a moment to glance at Kat, meeting the singer’s gaze as she glanced back in confusion, caught off guard by Raven’s sudden deviation from the script. But with the crowd’s attention currently caught by the frenzied pianist, none noticed Kat’s shrug and trusting nod before she turned back, took the microphone as her heel started tapping and she sang as though it was all part of the plan.

Raven did not need to look up, did not need to see Kat’s face to know she was smiling. Still, the now wild pianist couldn’t let herself get distracted, determined to focus on her own performance as the pair set out to prove how they deserved to belong on this stage, to silence all of the judgmental whispers resounding in the seats.

Eventually, as the threatening, final chords rang out in a descending echo, the song came to an end. And this time, there were no belittering asides, no shared stares of contempt—only a silence that breathed out in a pregnant awe of what else was to come.

Kat finally looked back, showing Raven the relief churning beneath her bright reds as their eyes met. A brief nod, and the singer turned back, ready for their final blow. With the whirlwind they had unleashed inside the theatre, the winds that had carried Raven now calmed, and this time, she stuck with the script as the gentle beginning of _A Red Apple Falls_ lifted itself up from the stage.

Once again, it was just the two of them in their own, small world. As Raven hurried over the cascading melodies, this time with Kat seemingly leading the two as her voice danced along the descending notes, they were back at their first performance of the song: the sense of wonder and freedom they both felt, of their future together in which the two of them could achieve anything. Raven could feel the half-moon pendant Kat had blessed through her chest pocket, could feel the reminder of how far they had come, and how far they would still go—that promise fueled her, easing her hands as they glided across the keys.

And not ten steps away, Kat stood in the center of the spotlight, black and gold dress shining as she sang. The power reaching out with every syllable, every bounce in her voice as honest and earnest as it had been, baring her heart that had passed through countless hours of practice, through dozens upon dozens of venues, all for this moment. For this song.

The final verse. The final notes. The song faded out. She stepped back from the microphone, throat too tight to let out a breath or even swallow. Raven let her hands drop from the piano, collapsing onto her knees as she stared at the bars. The silence lasted mere moments before applause filled it, all of the polite pleasantries from earlier gone, replaced with the passion and energy that the two recognized from the crowds of Hekseville.

The abrupt turnaround took Kat aback. It was to her surprise when Raven had crossed the stage, causing the singer to glance up at her partner, receiving a knowing smile as the praise showered down on them. Returning it with a grin of her own, she joined Raven in a bow, then with a series of erratic steps, the two exited the stage, not willing to press their luck any further. They passed the next performer, with the man’s raised brow telling them all they needed to know about his thoughts on having to follow that up.

The moment they were through the curtains and into the backstage corridor, Raven was nearly knocked off her feet, staggering back against the wall as Kat threw her arms around her and hugging her tight.  
“I can’t believe it!” Raven heard from the blonde, voice nearly muffled as she was burrowed into her chest, shaking from relief as she was finally freed of the thousands of eyes and burning stage lights.  
“You did it,” Raven whispered down at the singer, running her hands through Kat’s hair.  
“ _We did it._ ” Kat looked up, red eyes shining in the light. “Thank you, thank you, thank you so much, Raven!”

Raven had wanted to say she didn’t need the thanks—that seeing Kat happy was enough—but it was hard to talk when Kat pulled her in for a kiss. And then another. It was with a shared, frustrated breath that the two broke apart, taking all of their self control not to continue. The absolute last thing they needed was to get in trouble now—if the theatre staff didn’t kill them, Aki most certainly would. So it was that they finally departed—though hand-in-hand—back to their dressing rooms.

Once Raven was free of her suit—feeling much more comfortable now she was back in her normal clothes—she made her way back to Kat’s dressing room with their suitcase trailing behind her. When she arrived, she stopped, surprised to find Kat already waiting for her and talking animatedly with Aki and a third woman; someone who looked almost as out of place amongst the traditional theatre as Raven did, with ornate tattoos that ran up her neck and across one cheek, and a rather casual wide brimmed hat upon her head.

Kat saw Raven approaching and, with a wave, left the pair, beckoning her partner through into the dressing room.  
“Who was that?” Raven asked.  
“The manager of the violinist that went before us, and her mom I think. They’re from a little town near here. Banga I think it was?”  
“So what did she want?”  
“Well, she wanted to congratulate us. The first few acts don’t usually get that kinda reception. I guess we’re making everyone else look bad,” Kat said, grinning with not the slightest trace of modesty to be found.

Unfortunate though it might be for the other artists, Raven found it hard to argue with the sentiment, laughing along as she cracked open the suitcase to let Kat bundle her things back inside.  
“Didn’t hear the whole song, but she was pretty good herself,” Raven added. She watched Kat make an ultimately futile attempt at getting her dress back in the suitcase without wrinkling it, desperate to clear it of any creases. “For someone who looked that young especially.”  
“I know! Aki was trying to get them to come perform in Hekseville. Seemed like she wanted to set up some kind of partnership.”

Raven hummed at that, glancing back towards the door. In the end, that’s who Aki was, ready to pounce on whatever opportunity she could find. Still, it was best to leave that business to them; Aki hadn’t been wrong yet.  
“Speaking of Hekseville,” Raven began, “we’re gonna want to get a move on if we want to catch a taxi back in time for the last train.”  
“Aww, can’t we stay the night?” Kat asked with a feigned whine. “I’ve never been to Jirga before! Zaza has a key, we can ask him to feed Dusty and Xii, right?”  
“… Fine.” Raven had been expecting this: she had made sure they brought enough to pay for a hotel room if it had come to that. “But if he asks, you’re explaining what the marks on the piano are.”

It took a moment for Kat to process what Raven meant by that. But, when the pieces fell in place, her face brightened to a shade that rivaled Raven’s red hair. In a frenzied series of thrusts, of snaps, she forced the rest of her clothes into the suitcase and slammed it shut.  
“Come on! Don’t want to miss the train!”

Raven couldn’t help but laugh as Kat practically bolted out the dressing room, suitcase in tow, and towards the theatre’s exit. It wasn’t often the singer got embarrassed that easily. A belated sigh—one that Raven had seemed to hold in for the past 24 hours—fell from her chest as she left the dressing room, smiling as she passed by the baffled looking managers while she caught up to her partner.

It would take about ten minutes for the taxi to arrive, so Raven had plenty of time to calm Kat down. Ten minutes in the Lei Havina night, amongst the gardens and fountains all lit up by lanterns. That would be more than enough time to take the sting out of not being able to explore the city.

Raven’s hand slipped into her pocket, finding her pendant once more as she followed Kat’s trail, quietly humming _A Red Apple Falls_ as she went.

\- - -

Even at night, Jirga Para Lhao’s station had been as busy as ever as Kat and Raven rushed through to catch the last train back to Hekseville, stumbling onto it with barely a minute to spare. This time Raven was the one that managed to claim the window seat, breathing a sigh of relief as she sat down now that the two of them were safely on their way back in their sparse, quiet commute home.

Kat had started yawning almost the moment she had sat down. By the time they were ten minutes into the three hour trip, she was leaning against Raven, head against the pianist’s shoulder, fast asleep.

Raven couldn’t help but smile to herself, reaching up to brush a stray lock of hair out of her sleeping partner’s face. She wasn’t surprised Kat was exhausted, the blonde spent after the tension that had ran through her for nearly the entire day. And their performance, while not nearly the longest they had done, had all of those countless hours, days, weeks, months, years of practice and dreams—everything that Kat was—poured out in those ten terrifying and joyous minutes . After all that, even Kat’s energy had ran out.

Faced with a much quieter trip home, she checked her phone—only to find several text messages waiting her, most of them from Zaza. She slipped the device back into her pocket, deciding to deal with _that_ tomorrow as she settled in for the long ride back.

She glanced up at the moon shining through the train’s windows, the night sky almost glowing as they raced through the countryside. Kat stirred in her sleep, nuzzling against her chest as she hunted out warmth.

Alone in their quiet carriage, with no one to witness or spoil the moment, Raven’s smile settled into a serene glow shaded by the moonlight as she looked down at the woman who had changed her life so dramatically in what felt like such a short period of time. She didn’t know what would happen in the future, what other surprises may befall them, but right then, she didn’t care.

She wrapped her arm around Kat, letting her make herself comfortable, before leaning in to lightly kiss her on the forehead.  
“I love you,” she whispered.

There was no question that Kat understood her, even asleep. The singer curled up against her side, clutching her even tighter. She looked so peaceful, Raven found herself yawning. Knowing better than to fight it, she cuddled up to Kat and let herself drift away, the two sharing one last moment in their quiet train carriage back home.


End file.
